Intellectually Engaging

Vinatage black and white clipart of a busy restaurant. Located at http://www.clipart of.com

From spring of last year to early October, I worked at a restaurant as a busser and a host, depending on what they needed. When I first started, I was immediately overwhelmed by the responsibilities that came with the bussing job. From stocking each station with glasses and ice, to clearing tables quickly, to sweeping up after anyone I was told to, I was wiped by the end of the night for the first few weeks. Once I began hosting, it was an entirely new learning curve that took some getting used to. Eventually, I got better at each aspect of bussing and hosting, and was feeling pretty confident every time I walked in the door. The most chaotic nights were Friday and Saturday, but they certainly weren’t the hardest. Occasionally, the restaurant would have a slower night, and the manager would start sending servers and bussers home. This meant that whoever was hosting would also have to perform all the duties of the busser. On nights like these, I thrived. Keeping track of everything that was going on and coupling that with having to be in ten different places at the same time had me completely focused for hours at a time. More often than not I wouldn’t even have a chance to check the time. I took guests to their tables, assigned servers to guests, cleared and set up tables, retrieved clean silverware and glasses, and made every possible effort to ensure that the evening was running as smoothly as possible. I was a truly vital part of the business, and it was immeasurably mentally stimulating. I still credit that position with giving me the tools to develop my own methods for multitasking and prioritizing.

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One thought on “Intellectually Engaging”

A lot of people are really rude to waiters and hosts and such when they go to a restaurant. Tons of people constantly complain about the slow service on busy days, or the lack of tables on chaotic nights. I don’t think they realize that the service actually goes through a lot each day, and in a matter of speaking, they have a lot more on their plate than they serve their customers.